A Gable on the Street
Taruhei Sake Brewery East Storehouse (樽平酒造東蔵, Higashigura) is an early-19th-century brewing storehouse in Nakakomatsu, Kawanishi Town, Yamagata Prefecture, built in the late Edo period and registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on 5 November 1997 under registration number 06-0012.
It is a single-storey Dozo-zukuri storehouse with a sheet-metal roof and a building area of 162 square metres, attached at a right angle to the north end of the Middle Storehouse.
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, it now mainly houses brewing tanks. The shell is Edo period; the job it does is current.
Why It Was Registered
The East Storehouse was registered for its contribution to the historic landscape, and the reason is its east gable.
That gable end stands right on the street. The Agency describes it lining up with neighbouring buildings to show a row of triangular roof ends, a rhythmic streetscape, and calls the Taruhei Sake Brewery East Storehouse a local landmark alongside the Main House. Those are the only two of the seven buildings the Agency describes that way.
A storehouse that turns its gable to the road and one that turns its long side make very different streets. The East Storehouse meets the road gable-first, while the Storehouse next door shows its full length. Triangle, long wall, triangle: the alternation keeps a row of white walls from going flat.
What to Look For
Walking the highway, you meet the gable almost at shoulder height. Step back across the road to take in the triangle and the proportion of plastered wall beneath it.
Then let your eye run sideways. The wall of the Storehouse carries straight on from the gable, and the Agency's note on that building singles out exactly this continuous wall. Treat the two as one view.
The other end of the East Storehouse, deep inside the premises, meets the Middle Storehouse at a right angle. One end faces the town; the other serves the brewing floor.
Visiting the East Storehouse
The Taruhei Sake Brewery East Storehouse holds working brewing tanks and cannot be entered freely. The interior can only be seen as part of the brewery tour, held on weekday afternoons by reservation.
The east gable is visible from the highway at any time and can be photographed from the street. Directions and booking details are on the Taruhei Sake Brewery page.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Yamagata
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Taruhei Sake Brewery East Storehouse
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Q&A
- How old is the Taruhei Sake Brewery East Storehouse?
- The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to the early 19th century, in the Edo period.
- What is the Taruhei Sake Brewery East Storehouse known for?
- Its east gable, which stands on the street and, with the wall of the neighbouring Storehouse, forms a row of gables and white walls. The Agency names it a local landmark together with the Main House.
- Is the Taruhei Sake Brewery East Storehouse still in use?
- Yes. According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, it now mainly houses brewing tanks.
- Can I go inside the Taruhei Sake Brewery East Storehouse?
- Not freely. Parts of the brewery can be seen on the weekday-afternoon tour, booked in advance. The gable can be seen from the highway at any time.
- What kind of cultural property is the Taruhei Sake Brewery East Storehouse?
- A Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building), registered on 5 November 1997 as number 06-0012.
Basic Information
| Name | Taruhei Sake Brewery East Storehouse (樽平酒造東蔵) |
|---|---|
| Location | 2962 Nakakomatsu, Kawanishi-machi, Higashiokitama-gun, Yamagata Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (building); registration number 06-0012 |
| Year Designated | Registered 1997/11/5 (Heisei 9) |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Dozo-zukuri, single storey, sheet-metal roof; building area 162 square metres |
| Owner | Taruhei Shuzo Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Exterior viewable from the highway; interior only as part of the brewery tour (weekday afternoons, reservation required) |
References
- Cultural Heritage Database of Japan (Agency for Cultural Affairs): Taruhei Sake Brewery East Storehouse
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00000324
- Kawanishi Town: Taruhei Sake Brewery and Kikusui Kogeikan
- https://www.town.kawanishi.yamagata.jp/kyoiku/bunka/taruhei.html
- Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association: Taruhei Shuzo
- https://japansake.or.jp/sakagura/jp/yamagata/taruhei-shuzou/
Last verified: 2026.09.26
